When inspirations strike and opinions form, and when heartfelt joys fill the moments.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Jimjibang , Bath House in Seoul, Korea: SILOAM Sauna Near Seoul Station

My friend made it her agenda to visit a Jimjibang / Korean Bath House this trip. She is a big K-drama fan and didn't want to visit Korea without experiencing the bath house she has seen in several dramas.

After doing some online research, we decided on Siloam Sauna near Seoul Station because of its good reviews.

Siloam Sauna Entrance

It is rather cheap too with a 7,000KRW per pax entry fee. We didn't quite understand the ticketing lady but there's a cheaper fee of 5,000KRW if you only want to use some of their facilities. Anyway, we paid the full 7,000KRW so that we can explore the whole sauna.

For entry after 8pm, it'll cost 8,000KRW per pax instead.

Ticketing Booth

Shortly after we reached the place, a group of school children arrived with their teachers too. We got our tickets and the ladies and men have to enter through separate doors leading to the locker rooms.

Locker Room Where Naked People Roam

Once in, you'll need to place your shoes in a small locker located near the entrance and pass the locker key to the counter lady. She'll exchange it for another bigger locker key, a set of clothings and 2 towels.

It's quite a sight to see everyone walking or sitting around naked in this locker room. The first step is usually to go into the baths one level down on B1. And it's the practice to leave your clothes behind and nonchatlantly strut naked downstairs.

Siloam Hot Pot Sauna Brochure

The ticketing booth lady kindly pointed out that the common meeting area is on the 2F as shown in the brochure. In fact, besides B1 and L1 where naked souls reside, all other levels are unisex.

While my friends were making up their minds to go naked in B1 and try out all the different hot, cold, salt etc. baths supposedly good for your health and skin, I ran off to the higher floors to be fully clothed in comfort.

I just tried all the different hot, cold, salt etc rooms that are supposedly beneficial for health. There's even jade, charcoal and ice rooms. All I know I was sweating like hell in 1 room and cool like a polar bear in the next.

At the end of it all, I still had to go naked to shower and clean up after all the sweating. The small towel was definitely not enough for my modesty but at least, it's only strangers (no friends) around by then.

Visiting the bath house is such a norm to Koreans and there were people soundly asleep in the resting room, hugging the hard wooden divider and snoring away. It's quite a sight.

In fact, if you want a cheap accommodation, you can stay overnight in a bath house; there's sleeping rooms available in the topmost floor. And there's even a room for snorers! How considerate, hehe...

You should be able to see the view below from the bottom of the stairs and behind the building. The Siloam Sauna sign is red and big on top of the building.

Walk towards Siloam Building and you'll need to cross under the overpass at the 4 way intersection below:

Walk ahead and Siloam Hot Pot Sauna is situated on top of the very steep slope.

It is an eye-opener to visit Korea's Hot Baths. The many naked Ajuumas should be right about the right way to maintain tofu smooth skin. Must be all the salt scrubbing...

And it's interesting to know that teachers are perfectly comfortable being naked with their students.

If you have the time, take it slow in the Jimjibang because there's even hair and beauty salons in the bath house for your enjoyment! And should you get hungry, there sell food just like in the K-dramas!! You can practically run away from home cheaply and stay in a Jimjibang!

I'm sure it's a welcoming place to go to, especially in the Winter. Just make sure you go on a weekday where there's less crowd if you're body shy like me. ;)

Hi.. you said, you ran upstairs instead of taking a shower at B1.. you mean they will also allow me and my family to go to the common area right away without taking a shower? Can we use our credit card for entrance fee, food and massage or cash only? Thanks!

There's separates ones and others where both sex can be in the same room.

For the overnight rooms, there's even separate rooms for snorers and non-snorers. ;)

If you luggage isn't big, like a hand carry NIKE bag for eg. You can store it in their locker. If not, the usual luggage is too big. Maybe you can check out whether the nearby Seoul station has ockers big enough for your luggage or not.

I'm not sure. I think you may do so but you can't go into the bathing areas like the hot and cold pools with the undergarments. Only those areas like the hot and cold rooms where the jimjibang clothes are allowed in anyway.

Thank you for posting the street-view photos of how to get to this place. I've been meaning to check it out, but looking at overhead maps, it seems very confusing with all of the train tracks and highways and overpasses intersecting. Hopefully I'll find it on foot with your images in mind.

Also--what is up with all the body shame in these comments? I'm from the USA but I'm used to going to hot springs and spas where people get naked--even coed naked. Living in a foreign land is a good opportunity to embrace change and realize our skin suits are nothing to be ashamed of. Love your body, treat it like the temple it is... I love heated rooms, but the baths and steam rooms is really where it's at. Don't be shy, get a scrub and feel like a brand new person. :) Thanks for the post.

I think the traditional Korean sauna is one of the things you shouldn’t miss when visiting Korea. Can’t really blame your friend. :] Though infrared sauna is becoming a trend now in healthy living, I think experiencing the traditional method would bring her more satisfaction. Not to mention that her wanting was triggered by her favorite shows.